Boys' Night In (D10, LE, Butaj's Yurt)

[Moto Butaj]

"No, they wrestled." Butaj frowns. "Lady Shinjo told so." But he doesn't linger on it. "Maybe it is as you say. Things are dealt with differently than with the peoples of the Sands. There's something similar there, called tahaddi, with knives rather than swords, but the Unicorn have not adopted it."

[Asako Hirase]

"Knives?" That was intriguing, to say the least. It would never catch on, but it was very interesting. "Are they a more common weapon because of that tradition?"

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj nods. "Knife fighters are the duellists of the Sands. Butaj heard that knifes are common weapon in the Jewel of the Desert."

[Asako Hirase]

"How intriguing..." Now he couldn't help but wonder how it would shape society if everyone simply used their tools to duel instead of sacred blades. Did that elevate knives beyond mere tools? Would they become showpieces, passed down? "How did the Unicorn duel, then, if they didn't pick up this...Tahaddi?"

[Moto Butaj]

"Bariqu, of course. Hasn't Butaj told you already?" Butaj could swear he has, but he is tipsy a bit so he can't be too sure.

[Asako Hirase]

"In among themselves, hai...but...what if you met someone from another group and had to settle things?" It had to have happened at least once....right? "How did Shinjo-no-Kami manage to win over the Ujik-hai if not with a duel to stop them from going to all-out war?"

[Moto Butaj]

"Bloody battle. She slew fifty or a hundred with her own hand. The Ujik-hai only yielded when defeated. This was like this in most cases in the Sands. This is why we have many families of warriors. Sometimes the Ide succeeded to talk someone down or strike a deal, sometimes the Iuchi tricked the foe, but it was the Clan that duelled as a whole. Or so Butaj thinks it was, oral traditions tell so."

[Asako Hirase]

Slowly the other man nodded. It was no surprise, really...that was how early 'negotiation' with the Yobanjin had gone, according to the records he'd seen. "At least it was a union in the end and the peoples were not killed entirely. Otherwise, you would not be here, and that would be a tragedy!"

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj ponders it a little, then smiles. "It looks like it." He smiles broad, and gets up to put both hands on Hirase's shoulders. "You're a great friend, Hirase. I am avery fortunate man that a close friend of my beloved has become my close friend too."

[Asako Hirase]

Grinning up at his young friend, Hirase nodded.

"I think you will make a fine Phoenix, Butaj-san. And I look forward to calling you Cousin, at least for a brief time. Do not think you will be free of me after this miai, either...I will be hounding you and Yuki with letters for years to come."

[Moto Butaj]

"We both will have families across clans. My sister Gortun will be here, and I want my children to know the steppe. So not just letters. Good horse makes travelling better and faster. We won't be far apart." He chuckles, taking his hands off. "I'll be a good Phoenix. Maybe not the one your family expects, but good for them anyway."

[Asako Hirase]

"They could use the challenge you present." Hirase stood too and, briefly, slung an arm over his friend's shoulders. "Now, though, we should go see how the Lion handled the challenge of getting enough alcohol for everyone with no traders in sight."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj nods in agreement. "I have Nintoku to defeat. We've agreed on a match a week ago, so I have a very good reason to go." He nods. "Let's."